Ireland gets off the mark as Italy loses again
Ireland kick-started its Six Nations campaign as it beat Italy for an eighth successive time in the competition, claiming a 48-10 bonus-point victory in Rome.
Having gone down to Wales and France in its their opening matches – the first time Ireland had lost its first two games of a Six Nations campaign – Andy Farrell's men got their first win of the 2021 campaign on Sunday (AEDT).
The returning Johnny Sexton was typically influential, on point with his kicking and integral to slick attacks as Ireland made it 21 wins from its past 22 Six Nations meetings with Italy.
Garry Ringrose, Hugo Keenan and Will Connors propelled Ireland to a 27-point haul in the first half, Ireland's best first-half total in a Test since February 2018, with CJ Stander and Keith Earls also getting in on the act to seal a routine triumph.
Welcomed back into Ireland's line-up after missing the defeat to France because of a head injury, Sexton marked his 50th Six Nations appearance with a simple three-pointer five minutes in, moments after Paolo Garbisi nosed Italy ahead.
Sexton was adding two more points to his tally five minutes later, with Ringrose having picked a gap in Italy's defence to score the game's first try.
Another Sexton penalty edged Ireland further in front and despite some spirited Italy attacking, the visitors struck again as Ringrose turned provider for Keenan.
Ireland had a third try before half-time, Sexton combining with Jordan Larmour to feed Connors in the corner, though Italy managed to strike back through Johan Meyer.
Yet Italy's work was undone by sloppy defending immediately after the restart, with Stander bundling his way over.
Italy's issues were compounded before the hour, substitute Giosue Zilocchi sent to the bin for an attempted ball steal.
Ireland appeared to have made its advantage count when Stander found the line again, only for the try to be disallowed for a knock-on.
Luca Bigi's booking handed Ireland a further boost, though, and Connors hauled himself over from a maul before Earls piled further misery on sorry Italy.
